Your Turn — Wednesday, Nov. 20

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November 19, 2013
: Updated: November 19, 2013 3:24pm

President Barack Obama meets with business leaders to discuss immigration reform in early November. A reader says the president, in the face of congressional inaction, should use presidential powers to change aspects of immigration policy.

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I am so tired of reading and hearing how George Bush and the GOP led us into the Iraq war. Saddam Hussein had convinced pretty much every government in the world that he had weapons of mass destruction.

There is, of course, the possibility that our government lied, or that Saddam managed to destroy, hide or sell the weapons during that time, or that they were and are still hidden so well no one has found them yet. Both Democrats and Republicans voted to go to war.

You may fool the young or folks who don't remember the truth but there are still some around who do remember.

Penelope Talley

Just do it

With only a few working days left in the year for Congress, it appears that the last major order of business, immigration reform, is probably dead. House leaders immediately proclaimed that the bill was dead on arrival, and that they would do immigration reform in several parts. As of today, none of those parts has made it to the House floor for a vote.

If Congress refuses to pass even the easiest part, border security, the president should do the job himself. He can extend the deferred action program for young people to older immigrants. Sen. Marco Rubio was right. If the Congress refuses to take action, the president probably will, and he should.

We know that the votes are there to pass it. We know that a small minority within the Republican caucus has threatened Speaker Boehner with replacing him if he brings a bill to the floor for a vote and it goes to a conference committee where they will have very little influence.

The president should give them until the end of the month, and if they still refuse to do anything, then just do it Mr. President.

In response to Mr. Castillo's opinion that conservatives are no longer compassionate. Well, yes sir, we are. What we object to are those many folks who continue to milk the system through both fraud and lack of personal responsibility.

Kyle Janek, the head of Medicaid oversight in Texas, says that half of Medicaid beneficiaries are no-shows for their doctor appointments. If we, with private insurance, are no-shows, we have to pay for that doctor's wasted time. Medicaid patients can't be charged any fees, so there is no consequence for missing an appointment. We conservatives strongly believe in helping those who are truly needy so that they can get back on their feet and live a productive and prosperous life. Our compassion is alive and well!